Dereliction

• What is dereliction?


  • Refers to the state of a building or site having been abandoned and become dilapidated (run-down)
  • Often associated with former industrial estates or dilapidated housing estates
• How does dereliction in an urban area contribute to social issues?


  • Housing crisis > more homeless
  • Poor reputation > less people living > increased migration
  • Poverty
  • Businesses leave and do not invest > no jobs > higher unemployment > no tax > decreased QOL > people leave > spiral of decline > no working population
  • More crime and antisocial behaviour e.g. drugs, vandalism > social instability > negative rep > out migration
  • Social isolation > neglection > lack of community spirit
  • Mental and physical health negatively impacted
• How does dereliction in an urban area contribute to economic issues?


  • Economic stagnation due to lack of investment > exacerbate unemployment and poverty > cycle of deprivation
  • Lower property prices > no investment
  • Loss of tax revenue > no funds available to improve public services and infrastructure
  • Decline in tourism revenue
  • Increase poverty gap and economic disparities > wealthy relocate, isolate w/c
• EXAMPLE: Stratford Olympic Site before redevelopment ~ how did deindustrialisation lead to dereliction?


  • Post-war > industries closed down/ moved in spite of massive rebuilding after war > econ decline > docks closed > no international trade
  • Mechanisation replaced people
  • Overseas competition > cheaper prices > increase imports
  • Docks closed so made new ports on coasts for containerisation
  • Population decreased 28% in 30 years
• EXAMPLE: Stratford Olympic Site before redevelopment ~ how did changes in post-war Stratford/Newham contribute to increased inequality?


  • 27% residential stock destroyed
  • Increase mechanisation > decrease labour > increase imports > unemployment > industries moved
  • People left who could afford to > left w/c and immigrants > increase inequality
• EXAMPLE: Stratford Olympic Site before redevelopment ~ why was Stratford chosen for QE Olympic Park?


  • Contaminated land with wartime chemicals or from bombsite clearance after WW2 or industrial waste e.g. Mercury
  • Low env quality > E London surface pylons overhead, rest of London they are underground
  • Waste dump and fly tipping ignored
  • Industrial decline led to the proliferation of derelict sites
• Benefits of building on a brownfield site:


  • Revive old disused areas of land
  • Reduces loss of green belts, habitats, countryside, agricultural or recreational land
  • Services like water, elec and sewage already in place
  • Located near areas of employment, decrease commuting and pollution
  • Reduces risk of squatter settlements developing
• Disadvantages of building on brownfield sites:


  • More expensive > clear old buildings and decontaminate land
  • Often surrounded by rundown areas so does not appeal to wealthy
  • Potential community resistance
• Benefits of building on greenfield sites:


  • Easier and cheaper to build on
  • Larger areas
  • Appealing locations
• Disadvantages of building on greenfield sites:


  • Loss of natural environment and habitats > decline in biodiversity and ecosystems
  • Encourages urban sprawl > env degradation
  • Infrastructure costs > build new roads, sewage, elec etc
  • More remote > increased commuting > more pollution
  • Community resistance
• EXAMPLE: Stratford Olympic Site before redevelopment ~ what were the strategies used to manage the problems and improve the site?


  • QE Olympic Park largest new urban park in Europe for 150 yrs
  • Excavated & cleaned more than 2.3 million cubic metres of contamination (land remediation)
  • £6.5 billion invested on transport infrastructure
  • 98% of demolition waste from derelict buildings recycled
  • 45 hectares of habitat 10yr plan to increase biodiversity
  • 300,000 plants in wetland areas
  • 1,000 new trees planted
• EXAMPLE: Detroit Urban farming ~ 5 successes from the agrihoods


  1. Source of income ~ $20,000 per year > employment > tax money
  2. Urban farms > never been vandalised
  3. Turn abandoned factories into hydronic operations > jobs
  4. Rounds of farming, harvesting and composting improve soil quality > decrease pollution > organic crops
  5. Improve well being, mental and physical health > decrease conflict

  Concerns ~ Hantz Farms expected to begin farming on 40 acre plot in city > largest urban farm in world > commercial farming > profit orientated